Are Brand Mentions as Important as Backlinks? 

As Digital PR professionals and marketers, one of the key overarching goals of our work is to improve our own, or our clients’, online visibility and credibility. One of the main ways to do this is by earning backlinks and brand mentions from other credible websites. 

Both backlinks and brand mentions serve as vital signifiers of brand authority and trust, influencing how audiences perceive the brand, but also improving the brand’s SEO metrics and Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings. 

But which has the most impact on your brand? And which should you be striving for as a Digital PR professional? 

In this article, we’re going to cover: 

• The differences between brand mentions and links
• The significance of brand mentions
• The importance of backlinks
• Google’s perception of brand mentions
• Converting brand mentions into links 

The differences between brand mentions and links

A brand mention, often termed an unlinked mention, happens when another website cites your brand without providing a hyperlink back to your site. From an SEO viewpoint, these are still valuable. It’s similar to your brand’s name being dropped in a conversation; it gains attention but provides no direct route to your brand online. 

Google’s algorithm considers brand mentions as indications of your brand’s authority and relevance, therefore contributing to improving your search engine rankings and boosting brand awareness, despite lacking a physical hyperlink.

When it comes to backlinks, a Follow link, or a linked mention, emerges when another site refers to your brand and includes a hyperlink leading back to your website. They are the standard links that drive direct traffic and boost your website’s DA (Domain Authority) by passing on ‘link juice’.

On the other hand, a Nofollow link is a link that contains a rel=”Nofollow” attribute, instructing search engines not to consider the link in ranking algorithms. Originally, Nofollow links were designed to combat spam and control the outbound links’ quality, but they can still lead to increased traffic and potential Follow links if the content is valuable to the audience. 

There is an ongoing debate around Nofollow links, as many argue that they may still impact your site’s visibility and credibility, making them worthwhile additions to your Digital PR strategy.

Here at Semetrical, we believe that Nofollow links are still impactful for all of our clients and therefore we still report on them and celebrate when we earn them for our clients. We believe that Google sees Nofollow links as strong indicators, even though ‘link juice’ may not be directly passed through, 

A few years ago, Google announced that the Nofollow link is seen as a hint. Search Engine Land said that ‘Google will treat the nofollow attribute as a hint for ranking purposes. Meaning Google might count a link as credit, consider it as part of spam analysis or for other ranking purposes’. 

The significance of brand mentions

At first glance, brand mentions might seem less potent compared to links, given that they don’t direct traffic to your website. However, underneath the surface, their influence on your Digital PR efforts is significant.

Brand mentions may subtly improve your search engine rankings, as they are indicators of your brand’s authority and relevance. While algorithms of search engines like Google are complex and constantly updated, experts believe that brand mentions are perceived positively. They contribute to a better understanding of your brand’s image and, therefore, indirectly influence search algorithms.

Search Engine Land has previously said: 

“Every mention serves as a digital beacon, a brand bat signal if you like, potentially reaching new audiences across these diverse platforms. These audiences may not have encountered the brand otherwise, broadening its reach beyond its existing community.

“In the eyes of consumers, frequent mentions by reputable sources can elevate a brand’s status, lending it credibility and authority. This perceived authority makes the brand more visible and attractive to potential customers. 

“By strategically fostering brand mentions, you can command a considerable share of search, marking your territory in the evolving search universe.”

Further, brand mentions play a pivotal role in enhancing brand awareness and solidifying your reputation. Each mention serves as a touchpoint, increasing the likelihood of your brand being remembered during purchasing decisions. The ripple effect of this can lead to heightened organic traffic, as potential audiences may seek out your brand and website after coming across a mention.

The importance of backlinks

Backlinks can be thought of as endorsements from other sites, affirming your content’s value and relevance. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your ‘trust factor‘ becomes in the eyes of search engines.

These backlinks guide users straight from the referring page to your website, making it easy for interested audiences to interact with your brand. 

You can create targeted backlink strategies to build backlinks back towards certain pages, often pages that you’re aiming to improve the ranking of, to boost authority of these pages. This works well when you have a distinguishable product or service that you want to push to market. 

Google’s perception of brand mentions

Google’s algorithm remains a well-kept secret, but some insights suggest that Google may treat brand mentions as ranking factors. 

A Google’s patent on ‘implied links’ indicates that brand mentions could hold value in search rankings, even without a physical backlink.

While this doesn’t mean that brand mentions serve the same function as links, it does signify that Google acknowledges their importance. From a Digital PR standpoint, gaining positive brand mentions should be reported on in a positive manner. 

Converting brand mentions into backlinks

One strategy within Digital PR is ‘link reclamation’, this involves identifying websites that have mentioned your brand and requesting them to convert the mention into a link. While this process requires patience, transforming these brand mentions into links can significantly boost your website’s SEO performance and PR potential.

However, in the realm of Digital PR, where we’re striving for organic editorial coverage, it’s important to note that we’re not always in the driver’s seat when it comes to how our brand is referenced. 

We might aim for a Follow link, but the editor might choose to give a Nofollow link or simply a brand mention. This lack of control is simply part of the organic nature of non-paid PR tactics, and the editorial discretion of the publishers we work with is something we must respect.

While a Follow link may be the ‘ideal’ scenario from an SEO perspective, we must remember that Nofollow links and brand mentions are also valuable in their own right. They contribute to brand visibility, website traffic, and audience engagement, offering long-term PR benefits.

However, if having control over how your brand is cited is critical to your strategy, you might want to consider paid tactics. Sponsored posts, paid partnerships, or advertising can offer more of a choice over how your brand is referenced, including the type of link provided.

How can we help your brand?

Would your brand benefit from an increased number of backlinks or brand mentions? Check out our Digital PR services to find out how we can help you or get in touch for more information.